Playing Out From The Back
Counter Build-Up Shape
Build from the keeper through the thirds
Playing Out From The Back
Possession
Goalkeeping
Counter Build-Up Shape is a 22-minute playing out from the back drill for 8-18 players, suitable for Under 10 to Adults at intermediate, advanced level. You need balls, cones, bibs, full goals. Below you will find the objective, the set-up, how to run it, coaching points, common mistakes, progressions, regressions and variations.
Back to drill libraryPlaying Out From The Back
Possession
Goalkeeping
Skill Practice
Intermediate
Advanced
Full Squad
Youth Friendly
Adult Suitable
Goals Needed
Counter Attack
Duration
22 min
Players
8-18
Pitch size
50 x 42 yards
Ability levels
Intermediate / Advanced
Pitch diagram
Counter Build-Up Shape — Goalkeeping set-up — serve, save, reset · 50 x 42 yards
Step 1 of 5The keeper starts every rep and the back line splits wide.
- 1. The keeper starts every rep and the back line splits wide.
- 2. The team plays through the press and dribbles through a halfway gate to score.
- 3. If the press wins it, they attack the goal immediately.
- 4. The team in possession starts each rep in their own half and must build forwards.
- 5. Turnovers earn a direct counter at the mini goals worth two points.
- Cones mark the area
- Full goal
- GK = goalkeeper
- C = coach serving, S = second server
- Ball
- Cones mark the keeper's starting positions
- Dotted arrow = rotation between repetitions
- Keeper distributes back to the server
- Solid arrow = pass, thick = shot, dashed = run / dribble
Objectives
- -Build from the keeper through the thirds
- -Create angles that beat the first line of press
- -Recognise when to go long instead
Setup
- 1A defensive third with a goal, a back line and midfield support in a 50 x 42 yards area.
- 2Place two mini goals on the halfway line for the counter-attacking side to aim at.
- 3Balls in the goal, two sets of bibs, target gates on halfway.
Coaching instructions
- 1The keeper starts every rep and the back line splits wide.
- 2The team plays through the press and dribbles through a halfway gate to score.
- 3If the press wins it, they attack the goal immediately.
- 4The team in possession starts each rep in their own half and must build forwards.
- 5Turnovers earn a direct counter at the mini goals worth two points.
Coaching points
- -Split wide and deep to stretch the press
- -Midfielder shows on the half turn
- -Go long when the picture is closed
- -Counter in a straight line — the first pass forward beats the recovery run
Common mistakes
- -Playing out for the sake of it
- -Full backs too narrow and deep
- -Dribbling into traffic when the counter is on
Where this drill fits
- More football playing out from the back drills
- More football possession drills
- More football goalkeeping drills
- football drills for U10s
- football drills for U12s
- football drills for U14s
- football drills for U16s
- Football session plans built around this theme